Just Pilar

Just sharing some more children's book stuff

2011-08-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

I love sharing my children's book work because I am proud of it. I did this one some time back, this took me forever to do because i hate drawing bikes!! And it's nothing BUT bikes! Yikes! I think I pulled it off.

2011-08-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

I'm just in a sharing mood. This is something that I did for a children's book some time back. I decided to just share share share! Lately none of my blog entries necessarily have anything to do with each other, I just post what I feel like posting on any particular day!

2011-08-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

From something I'm developing. Just noodling around in Photoshop!

New Sparky Book completed!

2011-02-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

Here is the cover sketch for the newest installment in the series of Sparky children's books! I will be providing sneak peeks here until the book is printed and released in a few weeks!
I am proud of the work that I've done on these books, especially this newest one!

Here's to a Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

Wishing all a happy new year! I am honored to be in the company of so many talented artists and wonderful people! Wishing that 2011 is productive and wonderful for all of you!!See ya next year!

New designs added to our Cafe Press shop!

2010-12-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

New designs added to our Cafe Press shop! The DJ cat is decked out in his triple fat just in time for the holidays!

Get yours!! Prices have been slashed for the holidays!

www.PshirtsNYC.com

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

I got inspired to post an image of a custom card that I designed for a client who also happens to be a big fan of the line of Sparky books that we produce! Happy Holidays!

Shop Pilar Toons!

2010-11-11T14:33:00.001-08:00

Hi All! Announcing our new online shop where you can buy tshirts and other fun stuff with our cool designs on them! This is a perfect time to start your holiday shopping.
These cool designs were debuted at the Ottawa International Animation Festival's Aniboutique store!

Give us a visit: www.PshirtsNYC.com

Investmentization!

2010-08-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

Episode 77 of the web series that I direct and animate has just been completed! You can view it here!

Jazzy bird

2010-04-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

Working on birds, I love incorporating music into art!

Developmental art from the new short!

2010-02-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

Some more developmental art for the upcoming short! I am working on finishing and updating the animatic. Stay tuned I will keep you posted!

A lizard comes out of mothballs

2010-01-25T09:21:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! I have resurrected an animatic for a short that I had started over 8 years ago. This character is close to my heart. I had presented the animatic at an ASIFA open screening years and years ago and I still have folk coming up to me to say that they remembered the animatic and when am I gonna finish it?
Thank you to all who have encouraged me to get back to work on this and for reminding me that this little guy is memorable!
Stay tuned!!

All images © PilarToons 2010

doodlin'

2010-01-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

I was just noodling around last night. This is my tribute to Ray from Princess and the Frog-my favorite character! Last night I got inspired when I was at my friend's jazz show. I drew this on the back of a receipt and later painted it digitally. Dr. Facilier is sneaking up on him... So far all I know how to draw of him from memory is his hat and eyes!

The Kids

2009-11-30T16:09:00.000-08:00

I started sketching these kids and started animating one of them recently. Stay tuned! They remind me of the kids that I grew up with
in Brooklyn.

Kabbalatoons Episode 70 in production!

2009-11-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

When the folks at Chabad.org approached me and asked me to develop an animated webtoon with them I never dreamed that here I would be about to start production on episode 70 two years later! These one-minute snippets are seen all over the world. I have gotten emails from folks as far away as Israel and munich. The other day Rabbi Freeman, who writes the episodes recieved an email from a fan in Malaysia! It is a joy to work on these episodes, here's to many more!

If you want to check it out you can view the latest episode here:

Tough stuff...

2009-11-14T20:01:00.001-08:00

More noodling around...

Stay tuned...

2009-11-14T19:57:00.000-08:00

Even though the past few months have been pretty busy I've been finding time to noodle around with some character designs. I have some independent projects that I have been developing. Stay tuned!

In a while, crocodile!

2009-11-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

I have been plugging away over the past couple of months. I am honored to have had my brand new short, "Croca Bonga" be screened at the Philadelphia Filmathon last month! The Philadelphia Filmathon is an annual event that is put on by the wonderful folks at Project Twenty1! They bring filmmakers (animators and live action alike) together every year to create a film in 21 days! For those of us that did not get a chance to participate and create a film in that amount of time we have the Philadelphia Filmathon to submit to! A wonderful festival indeed!
Croca Bonga will be appearing at a festival near you!
For those of you that can't make it out to the festivals here is my short for its internet debut!

Demo Reel

2009-06-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hi All!
I've really been neglecting my blog and I promise I'm going to start writing/drawing again! This past month has been amazing and I'm on a creative high right now! I have alot to write about! In the meantime, check out my demo reel. Thanks for letting me share!

Been neglecting my blog but alot's been happening!!!

2009-05-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind! I've been doing a complete and total overhaul on my website, it is almost finished and I am pretty proud of how it's coming out! And last week the music video that I animated for a wacky song called "My Sister's Butt" was shown at the ASIFA East animation festival and won the award for humor in 2 minutes and over category!!
I am proud as all heck to be a part of the new York animation scene!
I am busy finishing up my independent short, getting it ready to start sending out to festival deadlines that are coming up!
Thanks for checking in! These photos are from that night at ASIFA!
See you soon in the blog-verse!

doodlin'

2009-04-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Some doodling-having fun doing idea sketches. I came across a guy on the subway, the loud talker, tough talking guy telling stories with foul language but still lovable kind of guy. I started drawing him and he became a character I've been sketching him on napkins and notebook paper ever since. Not sure what I'm gonna do with the idea but i think i might want to do a comic strip sort of thing.

Some Baddies

2009-04-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

I sketched this a couple of weeks ago and wanted to color it. Bad baddies you wouldn't want to run into in a dark Mumbai alley!

A logo I designed for a musician friend that has his own business

2009-03-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

Finished art finally...

2009-03-29T12:05:00.001-07:00

This is the last stage of my work in progress! It's less of a work on progress and more of a finished work! I hope they like it! I'm happy with how it turned out. Thanks for letting me share! ( I did a few teaks to it and re-uploaded it-i had forgotten to add my signature!)

Power Girl Work in progress

2009-03-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

A spread I'm doing for Power Girls Magazine. A magazine distributed in schools including Oprah Winfrey's school for girls in South Africa. It's a work in progress this is the sketch phase.

For this spread i decided to ink and paint it in Flash so I'm starting to tighten up the sketch adding details and features. I took great pains to incorporate my three nieces (the two to the extreme left and second from the right) and my little sister (middle top, the one who's pointing).

This is where I'm at now. I'm starting to tighten up and apply the actual inking line with the brush tool. I decided to go with a blue mono-tone color scheme for the crowd of girls at the botton. I just like Blue. The cloud/letters are still in sketch phase but when it's done it's going to resemble sky-writing.

I'll post the finished one when it's done tomorrow. It's due Monday.

Street sign

2009-03-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

I took another stab at painting. I'm classically trained so a while back before I decided that I wanted to be a cartoonist full time, I painted regularly.

I plan to do a whole series of these: street signs. I just thought that street signs always resonate with people, folks either live near a street or have a memory of a street. Streets are always there no matter how much a neighborhood changes. Buildings come and go but streets never go away.

I took a stab at painting!

2009-03-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to get back into painting for a while now. This is the first painting I've done in 15 years. I mean, I've painted within the last 15 years but it's always been part of some project or something, not just painting for the heck of it!
It's for my friend's birthday for her to hang in her new office! She has her own Therapy practice so lots of people will see it. It's a scene from Prospect park near where I live. I plan to do more of these. Painting is very Soothing.

Even more kids

2009-03-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun exploring these kid's contrasting personalities.
Sooner or later I'll have gotten this out of my system haha!

Mission: Millionaire-Impossible

2009-03-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Que Mission-Impossible music: Dun dun dun-dun dun dun dun-dun...
Drawing more of these kids! Sooner or later I'll get this out of my system...

More kids

2009-03-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

Just been sketching away. Having fun drawing this little guy. Enjoy the snow! Those of you who are here to enjoy it! And those of you who are in warmer climates: you lucky devils, you!!!

A kid I drew

2009-02-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

I've been sketching and keep drawing these kids. Fun stuff!

Some kids I drew

2009-02-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

I got inspired and sketched some kids. I wasn't thinking about 'Slumdog Millionaire' at all when I drew this :P

My Slumdog Millionaire Money! I made a $2,000,000 dollar bill!

2009-02-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

GUMBY! Style guide drawing I did

2009-02-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

2009-02-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

A drawing that I did for the Frosty the Snowman style guide.

2009-02-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

Some Chabad fun with Rabbi Infinity!

2008-02-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

www.kabbalatoons.com

As some of you know, I've been directing/animating a weekly web toon on Chabad.org! Its been really fun and also enlightening, being a Gentile that has always been fascinated with Judeism I lap the wisdom up!
This above link it one of the most recent ones.
Enjoy!

Did I mention that Joanna Quinn Rules?

2007-09-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Joanna Quinn and me with director Bruce Alcock at the closing night party at the festival! I'm saying,"I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"

Ottawa, Pumpkins and Piggies

2007-09-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to figure out what was the highlight of my day yesterday; If it was getting to meet Joanna Quinn and getting to tell her that I totally worship the ground that she walks on

or getting to meet adorable Lili the voice of Pepa Pig! (If you have never seen this show, go online get a listing and find out where its playing in your area!!! Its so cute!!)

or was it winning 2nd prize in the pumpkin carving contest for the second straight year (the Cartoon Network Swag gets better and better every year in the gift bag they give you)or getting to see the awesome animators, old friends and New alike!!!! I think the whole day was fabulous, it was all one big highlight!!
I'll tell you one thing it was hot outside! I don't think I've ever seen it this hot at the festival! But it came in handy at the outdoor picnic! I came to the picnic with the intention of making a pumpkin microwave for the pumpkin carving contest, basically a pumpking carved to look like a microwave (ten years ago me and my friends made a pumpkin computer!!) so I get there and the pumpkins are all gone!!! So I'm all sad so I run into Royleen Chris Robinson's Mom and Chris's son Jarvis. I am cheered to see Jarvis busy at work on his own pumpkin. After chatting with them and telling them that I probably wont get to do a pumpkin this year Jarvis practically magically pulls a pumpking out of thin air and gives it to me!! It turns out that it was sitting there next to him and he could have just kept it but he gave it to me!!! So I dedicated my pumpking to Jarvis! The size of the pumkin was perfect for another kitchen appliance, a toaster! So that's just what I did, complete with toast_shaped pumpkin pieaces. When I did win, from the the gift bag I presented him Blue from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends!!!
I also received a blue cord from new friend of mine, Jason! He insisted on givng it to me and the toaster cord is what made the pumpkin, right now Lili and I are working on a prototype for a new solar-powered toaster!
Well I am just so excited, Linda Symenski described me as something of a "Pumpkin-Savont" because over the years I have won alot of these things, even though I never expect to win!
There will be more later. I am going to buy this new software called Digi Cell! They have it at a table and they let me try it out, it works like a vertical exposrue sheet!! You can draw right into it and it looks like pencil!! They animated the Simpsons Movie with Digicell! So I might have to gte it and I can get it for only $40! I'll keep you updated! Keep and eye out for another posting later today!
until then!...

Ottawa day 3 and sketching

2007-09-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

I was sketching last night at one of the gallery parties, they were screening work and having wine and beer. Me a few few people went into the alcove where we had our own screening on my laptop computer. It was kinda fun because then we ended up having our own little crowd as we took turns and popped our DVD's in.
This is a sketch that I did while I was demonstrating my tablet PC to a bunch of folks. I like him, this is some colonial guy I sorta started sketching, I think I want to see where I can take him.

This is another one that I doodle last night as I was demonstrating. I call him LionKid. I dunno why it just seemed right at the time, I think I'll keep sketching him too!

Well I am off to the Animator's Picnic! I will upload a photo of my pumpkin from the world famous annual pumpkin contest that they do every year. I never do the contest to win, i just do it for fun, but my Pumpkin Viewmaster DID win something last year so ya never know, hmmmmmmmmmm.....

Ottawa: Day two

2007-09-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

As I dive into the fray I must not forget to adorn my neck with the all-important Festival Pass, the golden ticket of all events Ottawa!
A great line up of films this year!

Last night I went to the feature film screening of Perepolis, a film based on the graphic novel of the same name, about a girl growing up in Iran. Totally amazing.
There was a line around the block and I waited on it only to find that I didn't have to stand on line if I had a pass..ehem
That's what sleep depravation does to you!!!
Until next time!!!!...

Animator's view of the world (sideways apparently)

2007-09-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

I was too clueless to change the orientation but this is the view from my room, I just arrived at the Ottawa Animation festival and am all checked in. I like the old colonial style church that I can see from my window
This year has a great line up! Including this evening's screening of a film based on Persepolis a wonderful graphoc novel of the same name.
Until next time!!!

Happy New Year!

2007-02-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year out there In Sparky Land! I would like to announce that the latest Sparky adventure has hit the stands! (Well Amazon.com anyway!)
Sparky's Big Race is one of my favorite Sparky books to work on! It was zany and fun with a Tortoise and Hare-style race to boot! It's been a long hiatus but it's good to be back!

2006-10-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

2006-07-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

2006-07-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

I stink!

2006-05-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Ok I stink! I promised myself that I would add to my blog and here it is already May and last time added to my blog was february. Shame on me!
Ok so I decided that I'm going to devote the next few days showing you what I have been up to!
First of all I am getting ready to (sometime in the near future) get started on another installment of Sparky's continuing adventures. Rick the writer has already told me more or less what the plot will be. But he's gonna give me one serious noogie if I tell, but I assure you it'll be a hoot!
Oh yea I just got back from Rio, Brazil. I will be showing pictures over the next few days, below is a photo of my boyfriend Ivan and I in front of the Christo Redento, the awesome statue of Christ that watches over the city!

Glad to be back on the Blog circuit!!! See ya tomorrow!

Volvo, where art thou?

2006-02-04T23:47:00.000-08:00

Is that a 240 Volvo sedan waaaayy back there in the back ground? My boyfriend's Volvo always seem to make it's way into my drawings (see December 8th's posting) I hope my boyfriend doesn't turn around and buy one of those ugly SUV limos, that would get hard to draw after a while!

more teeeny Sparky

2006-02-03T23:29:00.000-08:00

What's up with me uploading all these teeeeny tiny sketches of Sparky? That's gonna be my new theme. I think I'm gonna do a new series of Sparky thumbnails that actually FIT ON a thumbnail get it? Eh..never mind:P
Actually this was a sketch in the every early stages of the first book, I like the roughness of it this little sketch.

Why is Sparky so sad?

2006-02-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

Sparky is teeeeeny tiny and sad. Well actually this is the first thumbnail for the first (I think) page of Sparky's Walk. I thought it was cute it's so teeeeeny. She's actually a bit impatient for her nightly walk! Hence the title of the book Sparky's Walk, get it? ...eh-never mind.

First Pass

2006-01-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

I dug this out of my archives, the first sketch for cover of the first Sparky book "Sparky's Walk".

Whoa!!

2006-01-30T19:24:00.000-08:00

I was digging through my old sketches and I came across this sketch. I was like Wow! I think this is the first drawing that I ever did of Sparky!!! Holy cow! That's something. Remember, ladies and gentlemen when Sparky becomes a multi-million dollar franchise you saw it here first!
But really that is so cool. I like the fact that you can see all my little mistakes and white-out marks. I think I was working from a photo of the real Sparky. Cool stuff...

Web News!

2006-01-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all!
Sparky's World has a home on my website! I want to announce the launch of Sparky's World! A fun place on my site where you can visit and explore Sparky's yard and meet Sparky and her friends! Check it out!
Right now Sparky is napping, but you can poke around and see if you can find where that naughty squirrel Floyd is hiding!
Visit Sparky often because I'm working on interactive games and activities and a Sparky-Cam!
Just go to www.PilarToons.com (best to have the most recent Flash viewer) and click on Sparky.
See ya soon!

Up a tree

2006-01-06T00:46:00.000-08:00

I've always loved Floyd the hyper-active squirrel, someday I wish to do a book just about him.

Happy New Year!

2006-01-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

As we go into this new year, Sparky and myself get ready to break plenty of resolutions, because what's the new year all about if ya don't have fun, huh? By the way I've been going to the gym waaaay before new years... hehe

White Witch

2005-12-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

Ok I know I'm deviating a bit but I have to say that that...Ok, the White Witch from Narnia kicks butt ok? I know she's bad and mean and all that, but look at her, she's so cool looking! Maybe I'm an evil person but I was actually disappointed when she got defeated! When you do go to see Narnia if you haven't already, the battle scenes rock! Ok I'll be returning to your regularly scheduled Sparky programing tomorrow!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

2005-12-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

Ok I know this post has nothing to do with Sparky (Actually not true, my boyfriend's car has appeared on a few occasions in all of the Sparky books see December 8th posting) but *Nyaah NyyaaH!* it's my blog and I could wish my awesome boyfriend Ivan a happy birthday if I want to!! Thank you for being in my life, Ivan! I love you!

2005-12-18T17:07:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays!

I wanted to make a mention of the cool gathering that I had last week, Thanks to all who came you all made it great!

CBGB's Gallery or my living room?

Ok this is the coolest Holiday party yet, how many people get their own rock concert?

Cut the Bull

2005-12-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Sparky getting chased by bull, I always liked this sketch. It'll be my new years resolution to avoid Bull s*** so I thought this was appropriate!

Sparky rollin'!

Party on!

2005-12-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

Hey all! As we head into the weekend I hope y'all have fun going to all of those holiday parties and shindigs or even just have fun stayin' in and watch an episode of Degrassi for me!

DJ dude from Sparky Coast to Coast; I like how he came out. In the book I beleive his lower torso gets cut off so it's cool to show off the whole sketch that I did of him!

On the Wagon

2005-12-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

So this is what the inside of a 1989 Volvo 240 wagon looks like!

In every Sparky book when ever I get the chance I always find a way to put a Volvo wagon in there because my boyfriend's car is a Blue Volvo wagon. Next time you pick up a Sparky book see if you can spot all the Volvo wagons!

BTW Keep your fingers crossed so I could have a white Christmas because at this rate we probably will have one! They said we might get up to 6 inches. Woo hooo!

Remembering Lockheed

2005-12-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Today my tribute to Lockheed the Iguana continues. He was a nomad with me traveling through six different living abodes over the years. He commanded respect and I taught those around us to respect him as another "human" being, even my cat who was a little nervous around Lockheed, especially when Lockheed would extend his dewlap (the Iguana's version of a chicken "comb" that hangs down from his chin) and flick his head up and down, that's Iguana-speak for stay out of my territory. My cat would go "ok fine I know when I'm not wanted" and join me on the couch. His cage is now dismantled and nicely packed away in the closet, saved for when I'm ready for the inevitable next iguana that lands in my lap. Noone can replace Lockheed, but he has instilled in me a love for Iguanas and i can't imagine life without an iguana in it now! But for now I will remember him and the joy that he brought into my life!

This is a sketch that I did about nine years ago on the back of a brochure from an un-named institution (hehe). That's me on the right and the iguana holding the soda cup is Lockheed, the one to the right of Lockheed is based on Rizzo, my friend Fred's iguana (also passed on to the rainbow bridge) and Lockheed's play-partner.

Lockheed and that's his play-partner Rizzo you see on the side there.

Goodbye, Lockheed

2005-12-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

My iguana, Lockheed passed away yesterday after a long illness. Below you see his sketch self (actually named Chet in the book but I based his likeness on Lockheed) from No Rest for Sparky and below there are also pictures of the real life Lockheed above and below. Handsome guy huh? I came back from Massachusetts to find that Lockheed had passed away in his cage. I took him to get cremated this morning. I have had Lockheed longer than I have had any pet (12 years!). He kind of landed in my lap when I was in college! So he lived with me on campus and the rest is history!

A younger, more spry Lockheed

Baby, It's cold outisde!

2005-12-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

My obsession with drawing the girls continues- When I visited them this summer I saw how fun fun funny they were, like little animals so I got inspired and drew them in animal masks.
Did I mention that it's cold? I'm going to Massachusetts and guess what? its even colder up there WITH SNOW hehehe

matter of fact its so cold outside I think about dog sledding (which in some states, depending on animal cruelty laws, is a cruel practice of course depending on the animal handler but here in this sketch I like to imagine these are happy dogs but for the most part, people, don't support dogsledding if you go to Alaska) so here's Sparky with some new friends, I love the rough pencils on this one.

I want to mention that I lost a dear friend, Wendy Jackson-Hall and thats why I'm going to Massachusetts, for her memorial. She passed away a couple of weeks ago and she was a beautiful person. This is such a loss to the animation community. I looked up to her, she was so ahead of her time. a really beautiful person, I hope to help perpetuate her energy and love for animation for all time.
More on Wendy:
www.animatedadventures.com

Da Girls

2005-12-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

More all-star appearances by my three nieces. I love drawing the girls, I could literally devote an entire website to them they are so interesting and crazy fun! If you were wondering what they look like in real life...

The insane one in the middle is me of course, this is at bedtime story time, what did I read them as a bedtime story? Sparky of course!
I'm doing an animated film starring them- more news as this develops. More sketches to come of the girls and also of our lovable friend Sparky.

Nice to be back!

2005-11-29T19:35:00.000-08:00

The iguana! Inspired by my lizard who is ill now, but looking better-thought I'd put good thoughts out in the universe for my lizard to get better-handsome guy huh?
Just got back from Florida spending an extended holiday with my family. Thought I'd be able to post from down there but family tends to dominate everything when you are with them! Inspiring all the same- my three nieces are in practically everything I do now! Hence this page featuring my three nieces riding in a trolley car with Sparky!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

Just wishing one and all a Happy Healthy Thanksgiving!!
I'm heading to Florida tomorrow morning for a few days but I'll be able to post from down there so drop me a line!!! Stay warm!

Bad Dog

2005-11-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, I'm gonna freeze my butt off for a day and then go to Florida for four days and thaw out again. My roommate is awesome-he's gonna take care of my recovering iguana when I'm in Florida. I actually changed my flight to come back earlier so I could take care of my lizard.
I can't wait to get back so I could continue working on my Flash short, pretty soon I'm gonna put my cartoons on my site. I'll also put snippets of art from my upcoming shorts on future Blogs.
This drawing here was hugely fun to draw- Sparky gets into the doghouse after this one!

Play time

2005-11-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is my first blog-this is my first posting on my first blog, I only just found out last month what a Blog IS. It's a pretty cool thing, like a website but easier to maintain, anyway enjoy- Oh just found out that my sick Iguana is not dying of liver failure (like the Doctor and I originally thought he might possibly be) according to his blood tests that came back-wonderful veterinarian. I've had my lizard for 11 years. You get attached.
Anywhoo enjoy!
This is a fun one-Sparky having a morning romp- notice how her spots have not been drawn in yet...Spot art huh?